A rare book documenting James Bond-style gadgets that were invented by a real life 'Q' to help British prisoners of war escape has been revealed after a private collector decided to put it up for auction.

The top secret catalogue consists of photographs and descriptions of the ingenious covert equipment sent to the prisoners under the noses of their Germans captors.

The items included tiny compasses concealed in cufflinks, fountain pens, pipes and even gold teeth.

Silk escape maps of Nazi-occupied Europe were hidden in cigar holders and vinyl records, while small cameras were concealed in cigarette lighters.

The 76 page book also shows how dart boards sent to the captives contained an escape kit of compasses, files and dagger spikes.

The top secret catalogue, made to help the Americans replicate the gadgets sent to help British prisoners of war, consists of photographs and descriptions of the ingenious covert equipment sent under the noses of their Germans captors in WWII

The 76 page book also shows how dart boards sent to the captives contained an escape kit of compasses, files and dagger spikes. The inventions were the brainchild of Christopher Hutton who worked for the government's intelligence agency MI9 during the Second World War

Hutton (right) wrote that as of February 14, 1942 a staggering 209,000 secret maps and 214,000 other escape aids had been sent to prisoners of war and Special Operations Executive agents working for the Allies across Europe

The inventions were the brainchild of Christopher Hutton who worked for the government's intelligence agency MI9 during the Second World War.

Hutton created the instruction manual in 1942 so his secret inventions could be shared with US intelligence officers after America entered the war.

Around 100 of the manuals were printed and handed to members of the American delegation.

Hutton wrote that as of February 14, 1942 a staggering 209,000 secret maps and 214,000 other escape aids had been sent to prisoners of war and Special Operations Executive agents working for the Allies across Europe.

The extremely rare copy of the catalogue called 'Per Ardua Libertas' - Liberty Through Adversity - is being sold at auction, having been owned by a private collector for decades.

It has a pre-sale estimate of £4,000 and will be sold on Wednesday.

Silk escape maps (pictured left: instructions for the gadget) of Nazi-occupied Europe were hidden in cigar holders and vinyl records, while small cameras were concealed in cigarette lighters

MI9 was set up in 1939 and the British government quickly realised captives needed a compass, tools (like a reverse RAF suit pictured left) and maps (right) if they wanted to escape

Hutton's catalogue also includes photos of how an RAF uniform could be turned inside to form a regular grey suit (left) and photographs of a German parachutist 'foreign costume' in order to fool opposing soldiers

MI9 was set up in 1939 and the British government quickly realised captives needed a compass and a map if they wanted to escape.

In the book Hutton, a First World War veteran, disclosed that MI9 went under the guise of the Prisoners' Leisure Hours Fund to hoodwink the Germans.

The organisation based in Fleet Street, London, sent many covert items like the dart board escape kit to prisoners of war with a covering letter on official-looking headed notepaper.

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Some of the other fascinating inventions Hutton created was a deck of 54 playing cards that peeled pack to reveal part of a map underneath.

When pieced together, the cards formed a large map of Germany and Europe.

His catalogue also includes photos of how an RAF uniform could be turned inside to form a regular grey suit.

The genius items also included tiny compasses concealed in cufflinks, fountain pens, pipes and even gold teeth. The book has a pre-sale estimate of £4,000 and will be sold on Wednesday

A letter detailing the objective of the book was placed inside the catalogue and wrote by Hutton (left) before being handed to the Americans. He created the instruction manual in 1942 so his secret inventions could be shared with US intelligence officers after they entered the war. About 100 of the manuals were printed and handed to members of the American delegation

In the book Hutton, a First World War veteran, disclosed that MI9 went under the guise of the Prisoners' Leisure Hours Fund to hoodwink the Germans. The organisation based in Fleet Street, London, sent many covert items like the dart board escape kit to prisoners of war with a covering letter on official-looking headed notepaper (left). Escapes aids also included special wireless receivers (right)

The extremely rare copy of the catalogue called 'Per Ardua Libertas' - Liberty Through Adversity - is being sold at auction, having been owned by a private collector for decades

The description for it reads 'turned inside-out, a perfect walking out suit is made.'

Bernard Pass, of auctioneers Bosleys of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, which is selling the book, said: 'MI9 was a new organisation in the war but when the USA came into it they wanted to get up to speed as soon as possible on espionage tactics because they needed these sorts of inventions for their own prisoners of war in the Far East.

'A group of Americans came over to visit MI9 HQ and these books were printed off especially for them.

'There were about 100 copies presented to each member of the delegation and some were retained by the British as well.

'Christopher Hutton designed most of the items in the book and you can imagine him being this Q-like character describing what each invention was and how it worked to the American visitors.

'The book gives a fascinating insight into the ingenuity employed to assist the war effort.

'It is super rare. We know of only one other that has previously been sold.'